2013 Fitness Goals

1. Reach First Goal Weight

When I first started this lifestyle change I had a goal in mind…150. For the last three weeks I have been hovering right around 155, and I really want those last five pounds to disappear ASAP. So that’s my first goal for the year. And when that’s done (because it WILL be done), it will be time to set a new goal. I am still deciding how to reward myself for hitting that first goal. Any ideas?

2. Run a 5K

I never would have thought that I could be capable of running 3.1 miles, especially when it was difficult for me to run 1/4 mile straight in high school for our tennis warm-ups. Is it crazy that running a 5K sounds super fun to me now? Even more fun is the idea of participating in the Color Run this summer. But I’m going to do it. Registration opens on Friday and you better believe I’m signing up that very day. I am already on week two of the Couch to 5K running plan, and I plan on signing up for the Habitat For Humanity Habitrot 5K this spring.

3. Do More Yoga

I have seen so many pictures of nearly-impossible-looking yoga poses and I want to do them so bad! On days when I’m not running, I try to squeeze in some Jillian Michael’s Yoga Meltdown. This isn’t merely stretching. It’s yoga that makes you sweat. I love it! I’m trying to teach myself as much as I can via the internet, but I would really love to take a class somewhere.

4. Sit Down Less

Ugh, I spend way way way too much time on my butt. I sit in class, I sit in meetings, I sit at my desk to do homework, I sit and watch TV with Adam, I sit and played Bejeweled Blitz (it’s my guilty pleasure), I sit and watch hours of Netflix. I have a serious problem. So the plan is to spend more of my free time doing something fun that requires me to be active. That might mean taking a walk around campus, more skating dates with Adam, mall-walking, playing tennis and rollerblading (when it gets warmer), or inviting my friends to come to the fitness center with me.

5. Keep Blogging

Finally, I want to keep up with this blog. I realize that when times get busy it might be hard to post updates as often as I have been, but I don’t want to give up completely. Putting myself out here in this way is incredibly motivating for me. I work harder when I know there’s an audience, when there’s someone to keep me accountable. Not just for me, I have already heard from some of you about the encouragement you have received from my story. I want to continue to be here for you and run right alongside you. I’m in this for the long haul.

New Gear

After babysitting so much last week I took some time to go shopping and spoil myself. Does anyone have the problem of walking into Target and losing all of your money? Yes? Me too. Fortunately, they had some awesome sales/clearance which this college girl loved. Check out some of my purchases:

Those shoes were only $9! I had been considering buying new tennis shoes, and these are so cute! Over the summer I bought a water bottle from Old Navy and the straw mechanism didn't work so I had to deal with twisting the cap off every time I wanted a drink. It was kind of inconvenient. So when I saw that Target had Camelbaks on sale for $12, I jumped on the deal and picked up this purple one.

Buying new things for working out is starting to become more fun than buying real clothes. Who knew? :)

A Look the Obesity Epidemic

I stumbled upon this TED Talk by chef Jamie Oliver, and I knew I needed to share it with all of you. I believe the first step toward life change is education. Watch this, educate yourself, take a look at your choices, and make a change.

Wednesday Morning

Hit the fitness center early today (7am).

I love getting my workouts done in the morning.
I have so much energy for the rest of the day!

Fitness Sites to Follow

Hello lovelies! For today’s post I thought I would share with you some websites that have played a big role in my fitness journey. Hopefully you find them as helpful as I did (do)!

Fitocracy is an online community in which members can log workouts, join groups, ask questions, and give/receive encouragement. Members are challenged to live more active lifestyles by gaining points for every activity they complete with the goal of “leveling up” with the more points they accumulate.

This site motivates me to work out because I get excited to see which activities will rack up the highest points. It has been such an encouragement along the way as followers give me “props” (similar to the Facebook concept of “likes”) for workouts and give me feedback whenever I have questions. Getting involved in a community like this is helpful because it allows me to see what other people are doing and how I might be able to apply those things to my own fitness journey. Find me with the username: brittanybelieve

Myfitnesspal is a website (and app) that allows users to track their daily food intake. Users set goals (weight-loss, maintaining weight, weight gain) and the site gives suggestions for daily caloric intake and calories burned each week through cardiovascular activity. These goals can be pre-set by the site or customized by the user.

MFP has been one of the biggest factors in my fitness journey so far. Getting an accurate picture of what was going into my body was humbling at first. I was eating far more than I should have been. As I began to think more carefully about what I was eating every day, it became easier to make better nutrition choices. Now, I often find myself being able to enjoy a small treat while still staying within my daily calorie limit. Once again, find me with the username: brittanybelieve

Blogilates is a website run by Pilates instructor Cassey Ho. Cassey records her own Pilates videos and posts them to her site and YouTube. The site also includes features such as recipes, meal plans, and workout calendars. Site visitors can search for workouts that are full-body or cardio or targeted to specific parts of the body (i.e. upper body, lower body, abs).

I love love love Cassey’s videos. Some are shorter than others, allowing me to have a quick workout or to watch several videos in a row to get a better burn. Cassey’s fun and girly personality shines through in her instructing, but the workouts are still challenging enough for me. Head over there and check out some of her videos for yourself. My favorite is POP Kicks: Total Body Cardio Kickboxing.

What about you? What are your favorite fitness sites?

The Road So Far

I have always thought of myself as a chubby kid. Even though I was in softball, dance, and skating I saw myself as the biggest girl on the team. In the beginning it didn’t bother me. But middle school and high school came, and along with that came the whispers and the comments. I wasn’t happy with my body. I didn’t feel beautiful and I lacked confidence.

                I got to college and faced depression and late night trips to Taco Bell. One day during my sophomore year I got on the scale and was taken aback by the number I saw. I was disappointed in myself. I had been gaining weight every year since high school and I was tired of it. It was time to change.

It started with little things like doing Zumba with my suitemates and choosing to pass on dessert. Then there were things that took more discipline like getting up early to work out before class and writing down everything I ate. I had really good days and I had really bad days, but I kept going. After about seven months of carefully tracking my eating habits, workouts, and weight I was down 20lbs.

                Now that I am closer than ever to my goal weight, I want to step it up. I’m learning more about my body and how to nourish and move it. There are a ton of resources out there to take advantage of as I continue making these lifestyle changes. I am researching and goal-setting and working. And I am inviting you to join me.

Looking forward to brighter and lighter days,